Electronic bass instrument

ABSTRACT

A small, relatively inexpensive, simple and easy to use instrument for generating electronic musical signals with a base plate having a groove, a metal reed attached to one end to the plate and extending above the groove for vibrating movement toward and away from the plate, the reed having the other end free with a magnet fixed thereto, a control element including rollers mounted in a frame which is moveable along the groove as the rollers rollingly engage the upper and lower reed surfaces so that the distance between the point the rollers engage the band and the free end of the spring determines the frequency of vibration when the free end is plucked and a magnetic pickup mounted adjacent the free end of the reed so that the movement of the magnet with the reed induces an electrical signal in the pick-up.

United States Patent [191 Rust 1 ELECTRONIC BASS INSTRUMENT [76] Inventor: Robert H. Rust, 1073 Hampton Road, Daytoria Beach, Fla. 32014 22 Filed: Oct. 21, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 516,814

[52] US. Cl. 84/1.15; 84/402; 84/456; 84/DIG. 20; 84/D1G. 21 [51] Int. Cl. G10H 3/08 [58] Field of Search. 84/1.04, 1.06, 1.11, 1.14-1.16, 84/7, 173, 200, 234, 312, 351, 363, 364, 402, 403, 454, 456, DIG. 18, DIG. 20, DIG.

21, DIG. 24

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4.212 9/1845 Schneider 84/363 X 139,912 6/1873 Morgan... 84/363 X 1.869.565 8/1932 K0enig.... 84/456 2.049.084 7/1936 Severy 84/454 X 2.241.284 5/1941 Walder... 84/312 2.500.372 3/1950 Noble 84/456 2.707.414 5/1955 Marshall. 84/402 X 2.972.922 2/1961 Rhodes 84/1.15 3,038.363 6/1962 Miessner 84/l.l4

[ Nov. 18, 1975 12/1967 Musser 84/173 5/1970 McKenzie ..84/l.l6

[57] ABSTRACT A small, relatively inexpensive, simple and easy to use instrument for generating electronic musical signals with a base plate having a groove, a metal reed attached to one end to the plate and extending above the groove for vibrating movement toward and away from the plate, the reed having the other end free with a magnet fixed thereto, a control element including rollers mounted in a frame which is moveable along the groove as the rollers rollingly engage the upper and lower reed surfaces so that the distance between the point the rollers engage the band and the free end of the spring determines the frequency of vibration when the free end is plucked and a magnetic pickup mounted adjacent the free end of the reed so that the movement of the magnet with the reed induces an electrical signal in the pick-up.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ELECTRONIC BASS INSTRUMENT BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AND SUMMARY OF THE INvENTIoN The invention relates to an instrument for generating electronic musical signals. I

The operation of many musical instruments is based upon the sound which is produced by the vibration of a spring. The frequency of the audio signal produced by such a vibration can be varied by varying the length of the springwhich is vibrating. Until relatively recently, all such instrumentsproduced their sounds by the direct action of the vibrating spring upon the surrounding air.

However, in recent times, instruments have been developed in,which the vibratory movement of the spring or the like-is detected and used to produce an electrical signal which has a frequency related to the frequency of vibration of the spring. This electrical signal can then be, utilized in a variety of ways to eventually produce an audio signal. This type of electronic instrument has a number of advantages over theconventional device. First, the pick-up unit can be made to be very compact and simple in operation. Second, the electrical signal can be .manipulated and changed in any of a variety of ways to produce a great multitude of different sounds. Further, the electrical signal can be amplified to any desired level to produce a signal directly on a speaker.

To date, the most common instruments which are used to produce bass tones either electronically or conventionally, the bass violin and the bass guitar, have been bulky and relatively expensive. While instruments have been developed which detect electronically the vibrations of a string or the like and produce from these vibrations electrical signals which can be manipulated and amplified as desired, units have been rather complicated and have not been totally satisfactory in operation. One of the difficulties in operating this type of device is the difficulty in strumming or plucking a string which preferably is very short in length to minimize the size of the pick-up instrument. I

The patent to McKenzie, for example, US. Pat. No. 3,510,566 describes a pick-up unit for a string bass which is intended to be plucked by the toe and operated by foot. The patent describes a unit with a control breadth which moves along the length of the wire to effectively control its length and, hence, the frequency of the vibrations which it produces. The string is plucked by the toe and it is difficult in practice to use this type of instrument.

The present invention relates to an instrument of this type which is particularly advantageous for producing bass tones and which is small relatively inexpensive, simple instrument which equals or excels the bass guitar and the bass violin in ease of play, range of musical notes and quality of sound.

In the embodiment of this invention as described in further detail below, a metal flexible band or reed such as a steel spring is attached to a base plate which "is preferably brass at one end so as to extend in the air above a track formed in the base plate. The other end of the band is free in the air and preferably extends for a short distance beyond the end of the brass plate making it very simple to pluck the end of the flexible reed or band to vibrate the same. A small magnet is preferably mounted on the band so that the magnet moves in vibratory motion with the band toward and away from the base plate-passed aconventionalmagnetic pick-up or tranducer which is also mounted on the plate in order to induce in that pick-up an electrical signal havingthe same frequency as the frequency of vibration of the flexible band.

A control element also mounted on the plate for movement in the track to control the frequency of vibrations of the band. This control element preferably includes a frame through which the band extends and in which are mounted at least one roller above the band and engaging the same in rolling engagement and at least two roller below the band and engaging the under surface of the reed or band in rolling engagement so that the two rollers between them pinch the reed or band and the distance between the point of engagement of the-rollers and the free end of the reed or band determines the frequency of vibration when the band is plucked.

Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of one embodiment of the novel invention of this applications;

. FIG. 2 shows a cut-away view of the embodiment of -FIG. 1 along the lines 22;

FIG. 3 shows a cut-away view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 along the lines 33.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3 which illustrate a first embodiment of the unique instrument of this application. As discussed briefly above, the instrument includes a brass plate 20 onto which is mounted a steel spring 22. Steel reed or spring 22 is mounted by a screw 24, roughly of an inch above the brass plate 20 and the spring 22 extends above a groove 26 in brass plate 20 approximately 1% inch beyond the end of plate 20. The end of spring reed or band 22 remote from its point of attachment to brass plate 20 is free for movement in the air and reed 22 is mounted for vibratory movement toward and away from brass plate 20 above groove 26.

A small magnet 30 is mounted on the under surface of reed 22 and adjacent to where magnet 30 is fixed to reed 22 a conventional transducer or magnetic pick-up member 34 is mounted on brass plate 20 so that as the free end of reed 22 vibrates toward and away from brass plate 20 magnet 30 induces in transducer or magnetic pick-up element 34 an electrical signal which varies as a function of the frequency of vibration of reed 22.

The instrument further includes a control member including a roller frame 36 through which the spring or band extends with roller frame 36 extending in groove 26 for movement along that groove and along the length of reed 22.

A first cylindrical roller 38 is mounted in the roller frame 36 with its axis extending roughly parallel to the plane of the upper surface of reed 22 and engaging that upper surface in rolling relation. A pair of rollers 40 and 42 are mounted in roller frame 36 below reed 22 similarly with their axes extending roughly parallel to the plane of the reed 22. Rollers 40 and 42 also engage the under surface of the spring or band 22 in rolling relation so that rollers 38, 40 and 42 pinch between them reed 22 and the distance between that point of engagement and the free end of reed 22 determines the frequency of vibration of the reed 22.

To play the instrument, it can be simply rested in the left hand with the left thumb on the movable roller frame. The tone can be easily changed by moving the roller frame along the length of reed 22 in groove 26. This permits the spring to produce an inevitably variable change of tone. The use of a metal flexible reed or band rather than a string permits the band or reed to be very easily plucked by the end which extends freely beyond the brass plate and further increases the versatility of the unit. The unit is small, relatively inexpensive to produce, simple in operation and produces tone quality, range and decay which are equal or superior to that produced with conventional bass violins and guitars. Further, this particular instrument is much easier to play than such conventional units. An instrument was produced which was 3 /2 inches in length by 2 inches wide and 2 inches in height. This instrument was found to be quite satisfactory in operation.

Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without parting from the scope thereof. Accordingly, that scope is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic vibrating musical pick-up comprisa base plate having means defining a groove extending thereon,

a metal, flexible reed attached at one end to said plate for vibratory movement and extending above said groove with the other end free,

a magnet mounted on said other end,

control means movable along said groove and engaging said reed so that the distance between said other end of said reed and the point of engagement controls the frequency of said vibratory movement, including a frame member having an opening therethrough through which said reed extends, at least one roller mounted for rotation in said frame member and engaging the upper surface of said reed for rolling movement along said reed, and at least one roller mounted for rotation in said frame member and engaging the underside surface of said reed for rolling movement along said reed, said rollers pinching said reed between them and the axes of rotation of said rollers extending parallel to the plane of the reed upper and underside surfaces, and

magnetic pick-up means mounted on said plate adjacent said other end for producing an electrical signal as the free end of said reed vibrates and said magnet moves past said pick-up means.

2. A pick-up as in claim 1 wherein said reed is mounted for movement of said other end toward and away from said plate.

' 3. A pick-up as in claim 1 including a second roller "mounted for rotation in said frame member and engaging the underside surface of said reed for rolling movement along said reed.

4. A pick-up as in claim 1 wherein said reed extends beyond the end of said plate.

5. A pick-up as in claim 1 wherein said reed is flat spring steel. 

1. An electronic vibrating musical pick-up comprising a base plate having means defining a groove extending thereon, a metal, flexible reed attached at one end to said plate for vibratory movement and extending above said groove with the other end free, a magnet mounted on said other end, control means movable along said groove and engaging said reed so that the distance between said other end of said reed and the point of engagement controls the frequency of said vibratory movement, including a frame member having an opening therethrough through which said reed extends, at least one roller mounted for rotation in said frame member and engaging the upper surface of said reed for rolling movement along said reed, and at least one roller mounted for rotation in said frame member and engaging the underside surface of said reed for rolling movement along said reed, said rollers pinching said reed between them and the axes of rotation of said rollers extending parallel to the plane of the reed upper and underside surfaces, and magnetic pick-up means mounted on said plate adjacent said other end for producing an electrical signal as the free end of said reed vibrates and said magnet moves past said pick-up means.
 2. A pick-up as in claim 1 wherein said reed is mounted for movement of said other end toward and away from said plate.
 3. A pick-up as in claim 1 including a second roller mounted for rotation in said frame member and engaging the underside surface of said reed for rolling movement along said reed.
 4. A pick-up as in claim 1 wherein said reed extends beyond the end of said plate.
 5. A pick-up as in claim 1 wherein said reed is flat spring steel. 